Fog signaling apparatus



1 (No Model.) 2 $heets-$heet -A. R. BOSTW'ICK & J. DUFFY.

POG' SIGNALING ALPPARATUS.

No.-511,400.. algtent edDec; 26, 1893.

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WASHINGTON. a. c.

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A. R. BOSTWIOK & J. DUFFY. FOG SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 511,400. v Patented Dec. 26,1893.

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WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI E.

ABNER R. BOSTWVICK AND JOHN DUFFY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FOG SIGNALING APPARATUS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,400, dated December 26, 1893.

Application filed July 26, 1893. Serial No. 481,530- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ABNER R. BOSTWICK and JOHN DUFFY, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fog Signaling Apparatus; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the-same, reference being i had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to signaling apparatus designed to emit a warning sound at intervals, and which is operated by compressed air, a clock mechanism being employed to automatically open a valve at the desired intervals to permit the compressed air to escape from a reservoir or tank and produce the warning sound or signal by impinging against suitably disposed devices as a fog horn.

The object of the invention is to combine in one apparatus means for compressing the air, a reservoir or tank to store the air in, a movable head or plunger to the tank to expel all the air from the said tank, a signal device, as a fog horn or whistle, a valve'for controlling the flow of the compressed air to the signal device, and a clock mechanism for actuating the valve at proper intervals to produce the warning sound as hereinbefore indicated.

A further object of the invention is to improve the general construction of the tank or reservoir and provide mechanism whereby the movable head or plunger can be readily expanded to obtain a tight joint between it and the sides of the said tank, and in such other features as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The improvement consists of the novel features which hereinafter will be more fully described and claimed, and which are shown in the annexed drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a signaling apparatus embodying theimprovement, part of the air pump being broken away and the upper portion of the tank or reservoir being shown in section to illustrate the details of construction of the movable head or plunger the dotted lines showing the operation of the said head or plunger. Fig. 2- is a top plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the movable head or plunger on a larger scale. Fig. 4 isa detail section of the cap or top portion of the movable head or plunger. Fig. 5- is a detail section of the upper portion of the tank and the lower portion of the head or plunger. Fig. 6- is adetail viewot' the hub to which the upper ends of the brace rods are connected, showing the relative disposition of the screw by means of which the said head or plunger is spread at its lower end.

The air pump A, the tank or reservoir B and the sound producing device 0 and clock mechanism D, are suitably supported on a base F. The air pump A is of ordinary construction and is designed as a means to supply the tank or reservoir with compressed air.

The tank or reservoir B is cylindrical in form and is strengthened at its top and bottom by bands 1 and 2 respectively, and intermediate of its ends by a clamp band 3 which is hinged at one end and drawn together at the other end by a clamp bolt 4:. The body of the cylinder is composed of a case H of plate metal and a lining G, the latter being constructed to provide a smooth surface for the movable head or plunger to travel upon and preserve a tight joint. The upper band 1 and the upper end of the lining are secured together and to the cylinder by means of bolts E which have their threaded ends passed through the openings from the inner side of the cylinder, the nuts 6 being disposed exterior to the said cylinder. The heads of the bolts project from one side and form stops to limit the upward movement of the movable head or plunger.

The movable head or plunger is composed of a dome shaped cap 5 which is open at its top, the opening being closed by cap plates 7 by bolts 10. The inner plate 8 is bolted to the plate 7 by bolts 11. A nut 12 is secured to the plate7 and receives the threaded portion of a screw 13 by means of whichthe hubl t attached to the lower end of the said screw is moved to spread the lower end of the part 5 which is constructed to extend parallel with the sides of the cylinder as shown at 6. A packing of leather or other suitable material 14: surrounds the part 6 and the latter is strengthened on the inner side by a band 15. The brace rods 15 have their lower outer ends let into the band 15 to which they are socured, and have their upper ends pivoted to arms of a hub 14 which is movable vertically by the means hereinbefore stated. The rods 15' incline upwardly and the outer ends being relatively fixed, hence on moving the inner ends up or down the lower end of the cap or plunger will be expanded or contracted as required. The screw 13 is operated by band wheel and its lower end passes loosely through the hub lt and is provided with two sets of nuts 16 which constitute stops between which the said hub is held. A gage G is attached to the tank to indicate the pounds pressure of the air confined therein.

The signal, whistle or fog horn, C may be of any desired pattern to produce asound by escaping air, steam, or gas and is provided with a valve 18 constructed to be automatically operated to open the valve when it is required to sound the signal. Any ordinary clock mechanism J is provided to actuate the lever 19 at stated periods to open the valve. A cam D mounted on the shaft of the clock mechanism is disposed to engage with the lever 19 and open the valve.

The air pump is connected by pipe K with the tank and the latter is in communication with the signal 0 by the pipe L. A check valve is in the pipe K shuts off communication between the air pump and the tank. A check valve m in a short pipe M prevents the escape of air from the air pump when supplying the-tank. The tank is charged by means of the air pump and when a given degree of pressure is reached the cap or plunger is moved to the top of the tank by a continued operation of the pump, the heads of the bolts E preventing the said cap or plunger from being forced out of the tank. After the required pressure of air has been obtained in the tank which is determined by the gage G, the pump is stopped and the apparatus is ready for use. The clock mechanism being wound and started the cam D will automatically operate the lever 19 and open the valve to sound the signal or fog horn by the escaping air. When the pressure of the air is reduced the cap or plunger will move down in the tank and expel all the air therefrom in sounding the signal. This cap or plunger will be weighted to produce the required pressure on the air necessary to effect the desired result.

What we claim to be new in our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A signaling apparatus comprising a tank to contain compressed air and provided with a movable cap constituting a plunger, a signal device to be operated by the compressed air, a valve therefor and mechanism in operative connection with said valve to automatically open the valve at predetermined intervals to release a part of the compressed air to sound the warning, substantially as described.

2. In a signaling apparatus, the combination with a tank to contain the compressed air having an open end and having the signal device connected therewith, of a movable cap constituting a plunger movable in said tank to close the open end, and means for expanding the lower end of said plunger to obtain a tight joint, substantially as shown and de scribed.

3. In a signaling apparatus, the combination with a tank to contain the compressed air and having the signal device connected therewith, and stops at the upper end of the tank, of a movable cap constituting a plunger within the tank, and means for expanding the said plunger, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a signaling apparatus, the combination with a tank to contain the compressed air and having the signal device connected therewith, a lining within the tank, a band surrounding the upper end of the said tank, and bolts securing the tank lining and band together and forming stops, of a movable cap constituting a plunger to work in the said tank and limited in its upward movement by the said stops, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a signaling apparatus, the combination with a tank to contain the compressed air and having the signal device connected therewith, of a dome shaped movable cap con stituting a plunger to work in said tank, said cap being open at the top, plates for closing the said opening bolted to the cap, the outer plate having a vertical flange to retain weights in position, upwardly inclined rods, and a screw mounted in the said plates and adapted to actuate the said rods to expand the lower edge of the cap, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a signaling apparatus, the combination with a tank to contain the compressed air and having the signal device connected therewith, of a dome shaped movable cap constituting a plunger to Work in said tank having a nut at the top, a hub, rods between the hub and the lower end of the cap, and a screw mounted in the nut in the said cap, and having its lower end in engagement with the said hub, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ABNER E. BOSTWIOK. JOHN DUFFY. Witnesses:

E. T. FETTIG, CHAS. W. KURTH.

IIO 

